Yet the club's attitude towards his future changed over the last couple of weeks and the midfielder is delighted to have signed a new deal.

Manchester United were strongly linked with a move to sign Lampard if he were to leave Chelsea, yet any notion of him joining another top-flight English club was quickly dismissed by the player himself.

"I can't imagine being anywhere else after playing for 12 years at Chelsea.
I have a lot of respect for other clubs, particularly the top ones, but I couldn't do it," Lampard told talkSPORT.

"I have always been very comfortable at Chelsea. At 27, they were offering me new contracts when I still had three years left on my contract, but they are looking to the future now. I understand that. I was caught in a bit of a transitional period and they were looking to the future and I had to convince the club I could be a part of it.

"From January to March/April of this year, I thought it would have been my last season, but I never wanted to leave and I'm delighted we got the contract done because I love being at Chelsea and if I did leave, where could I go if I left Chelsea? It would either be a step down in quality or stay at Chelsea and that has happened in the end."